Dan Caine is a United States Air Force general who serves as the 22nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this role, he is the country’s highest-ranking military officer and acts as the primary military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council. A career F-16 fighter pilot with an unconventional path to the top, he flew combat air patrols over Washington after the September 11 attacks, served multiple tours in Iraq, and held senior special-operations and intelligence roles before being recalled from retirement to assume the military’s top post in 2025. He is known by the call sign “Razin” Caine.
Dan Caine Biography, Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | John Daniel Caine |
| Call Sign | “Razin” Caine |
| Date of Birth | August 1968 |
| Age (2026) | 57 to 58 years |
| Birthplace | Elmira, New York, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Military officer; former venture capitalist |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Rank | General |
| Current Role | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (since 2025) |
| Service Years | 1990 to 2024; recalled 2025 to present |
| Aircraft | F-16 Fighting Falcon |
| Flight Hours | More than 2,800, including combat hours |
| Education | Virginia Military Institute (BA); American Military University (MA) |
| Prior Role | Associate Director for Military Affairs, CIA (2021 to 2024) |
| Religion | Catholic |
Dan Caine Assignments and Roles
| Period | Role |
| 1990 | Commissioned via Air Force ROTC at VMI |
| 2001 | Flew combat air patrols over Washington after 9/11 |
| 2016 to 2018 | Assistant commanding general, Joint Special Operations Command |
| Around 2018 to 2019 | Deputy commander, Operation Inherent Resolve special operations |
| 2021 to 2024 | Associate Director for Military Affairs at the CIA |
| 2025 to present | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
Dan Caine Events
| Year | Event |
| August 1968 | Born in Elmira, New York |
| 1990 | Graduated from the Virginia Military Institute |
| 1990s onward | Flew F-16s and became an instructor pilot |
| 2001 | Protected Washington airspace after the 9/11 attacks |
| 2003 onward | Served multiple tours in Iraq |
| 2021 | Took a senior military-affairs role at the CIA |
| 2024 | Retired from active service |
| 2025 | Recalled and became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
Dan Caine Early Life and Education
Dan Caine was born John Daniel Caine in August 1968 in Elmira, New York. He attended the Virginia Military Institute, graduating in 1990, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force through the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. He later continued his professional military education, earning a master’s degree in air warfare from the American Military University, building the academic foundation to accompany his operational career.
Dan Caine Military Career
Dan Caine’s Career as a Fighter Pilot
Dan Caine built his career as an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot. After completing the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, he joined the Air National Guard, flying with various squadrons and rising to become an instructor pilot and a chief of weapons. Among the defining moments of his early career, he was one of the pilots who flew combat air patrols to protect the skies over Washington, D.C., in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Over his career he accumulated more than 2,800 flight hours, including combat hours in the F-16.
Dan Caine’s Combat and Command Roles
Dan Caine served in multiple combat and command assignments over more than three decades. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he took part in operations to locate Iraqi ballistic missiles, and he served further tours in Iraq in later years. He rose to senior special-operations roles, serving as the assistant commanding general of the Joint Special Operations Command and as a deputy commander for the special-operations component of Operation Inherent Resolve, the American-led campaign against the Islamic State, gaining significant experience in high-level operational command.
Dan Caine at the CIA
Dan Caine served as the Associate Director for Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2021 to 2024, a key position linking the military and the intelligence community. In this role he was responsible for coordinating military support to the agency, deepening his experience at the intersection of defense, intelligence and national security before his retirement from active service in 2024. He also spent time in the private sector, including work associated with venture capital.
Dan Caine as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Dan Caine was nominated by President Donald Trump in February 2025 to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, following the President’s dismissal of the previous chairman, General Charles Q. Brown Jr. His selection was considered unconventional, as he was a retired three-star general recalled to active duty and elevated to the four-star post, bypassing the more traditional pool of serving four-star officers. He was confirmed by the Senate in a bipartisan vote in April 2025 and was sworn in as the 22nd chairman, becoming the nation’s highest-ranking military officer and the principal military adviser to the nation’s civilian leadership. As the sitting chairman, he has been the senior uniformed figure associated with major military operations during his tenure. Because his role sits at the centre of active national-security matters and politics, the profile presents his career and appointment factually and neutrally.
Dan Caine Personal Life
Dan Caine keeps his family and personal life largely private, and details about them are not publicly disclosed. He is a practising Catholic. His public identity is defined by his long military career, his background as a fighter pilot, and his current role at the pinnacle of the United States armed forces, rather than by his private affairs.
Dan Caine Physical Profile and Call Sign
Dan Caine is widely known by his military call sign, “Razin” Caine, a play on his surname. As a career fighter pilot and senior general, his public image is that of an experienced aviator and commander, and specific personal physical details are not a significant part of the public record.
Dan Caine Net Worth and Earnings
A reliable, verified figure for Dan Caine’s net worth is not a significant part of the public record, and this profile does not put forward one. His income has come from his long career as a United States military officer, which carries a salary set by the standard pay scale for a general officer, along with his period of work in the private sector. His official financial disclosures, required of senior officials, remain the authoritative source.
| Source | Detail |
| Net worth | Not reliably documented |
| Main income sources | His military career and prior private-sector work |
| Authoritative source | His official financial disclosures |
Dan Caine Social Media
Dan Caine is a senior serving military officer, and official information about him and his role is communicated primarily through the Department of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff rather than through a personal social-media presence.
| Platform | Handle | Notes |
| Official channels | Joint Chiefs of Staff and DoD | Official communication |
| Public information | US military biographies | The record of his career |
Dan Caine Controversies and Debates
Dan Caine’s Unconventional Appointment
The most discussed aspect of Dan Caine’s career has been the unusual circumstances of his 2025 appointment. He was chosen after President Trump dismissed the sitting chairman, and his selection as a recalled retired three-star officer, rather than a serving four-star general, broke with tradition and drew commentary about the process and about the independence of senior military leadership. These are matters of legitimate political and institutional debate rather than any personal wrongdoing, and the profile presents them factually and neutrally, without taking a position.
Dan Caine and His Public Role
As the nation’s top military officer during a period of significant military activity, Dan Caine has been a prominent public figure whose statements and role have attracted attention and, at times, political debate. Such examination is a normal part of the role, while differing opinions about his tenure are part of the wider national-security debate and do not, by themselves, indicate any proven wrongdoing.
Lesser Known Facts About Dan Caine
- He is known by the military call sign “Razin” Caine.
- He completed his studies at the Virginia Military Institute, graduating in 1990.
- He flew combat air patrols over Washington after the 9/11 attacks.
- He accumulated more than 2,800 flight hours in his career.
- He served as a senior military-affairs official at the CIA.
- He was recalled from retirement to become chairman in 2025.
- He serves as the 22nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Dan Caine FAQ
Who is Dan Caine?
He is a United States Air Force general serving as the 22nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s highest-ranking military officer.
How old is Dan Caine?
Born in August 1968, he is 57 to 58 years old in 2026.
What is Dan Caine’s background?
He is a veteran F-16 fighter pilot who served with both the Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force, held senior leadership positions in special operations, and also worked for the CIA.
When did Dan Caine become chairman?
He was nominated in February 2025, confirmed by the Senate in April 2025, and sworn in as the 22nd chairman that month.
Why was Dan Caine’s appointment considered unusual?
He was a retired three-star general recalled to active duty and elevated to the four-star chairman’s post, bypassing serving four-star officers.
What is Dan Caine’s call sign?
His military call sign is “Razin” Caine, a play on his surname.
What role did Dan Caine have at the CIA?
From 2021 to 2024, he served as the CIA’s Associate Director for Military Affairs.
Where did Dan Caine study?
He completed his undergraduate studies at the Virginia Military Institute and later obtained a master’s degree from American Military University.
Where is Dan Caine from?
He was born in Elmira, New York.
What aircraft did Dan Caine fly?
He was an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot.
Sources
Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine,
https://www.jcs.mil/Leadership/Article-View/Article/1974872/gen-dan-caine/
USNI News, Gen. Dan Caine Sworn in as Chairman of Joint Chiefs,
https://news.usni.org/2025/04/14/gen-dan-caine-sworn-in-as-chairman-of-joint-chiefs
The New York Times, Dan Caine, Trump’s Joint Chiefs Pick, Had Unusual Path to Top Ranks,
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/us/politics/dan-caine-joint-chiefs-trump.html